Instruction Librarians Toolbox: IDeA

January '25: No IDeA or Librarians' meeting this month.

February '25: Continuing discussion of the media literacy groups from Trust Me.

March '25: Recap and discussion on themes and takeaways from Stayonference. 

April '25: Librarians gathered articles about research appointments and the reference interview and added them to a shared bibliography. 

May '25: Discussion on imagination and how we utilize it in instruction. Served as a prologue to our summer read, The Imagination Muscle by Albert Read. 

Topic: Teaching Reading Comprehension Skills.

Book: Teaching critical reading skills : strategies for academic librarians. Volume 1, Reading in the disciplines and for specific populations.

July 23:  Librarians read chapter 7 in Teaching Critical Reading Skills: Strategies for Academic Librarians, Vol. 1: Reading in Disciplines and for Specific Populations. Chapter title: "“Framing Reading as a Method in the Humanities.”

August '24:  Amy Lagers presented on the newly redesigned College Success information lit instruction template.

September '24: Librarian instructional Show and Tell. Librarians presented on some of their favorite classroom activities.

October '24: Librarians viewed segments of the documentary "Trust Me" and discussed applications in the classroom for media literacy. Discussion guide over the documentary was viewed. Segments:

• Confirmation Bias and Disinformation spread (roughly 12 minute mark to 16:09)
• Media Literacy (1:02:35 to 1:07ish)

November '24: Librarians' meeting and IDeA cancelled for OK ACRL yearly conference

December '24: Librarians investigated media literacy groups sponsored in the documentary Trust Me

February '23: Librarians as instructors of College Success course. James and Alexis shared their experiences. 

March '23: Recap from Stayonference. ChatGPT and Library instruction discussion. 

April '23: News v. Opinion Lesson Demo and Discussion.

May '23: Reflecting on AY2022-23 - Discussion

June '23: Search and Destroy for Online - Lesson Demo

July '23: Question Formation Technique - Article Discussion and Lesson Demo 

August '23: Discussion of Information Literacy Instruction and AI

September '23: Rapid Instructional Design

Instruction Development and Assessment (IDeA) is a three part program that incorporates professional development, peer-observation and feedback, and formative supervisor observations.

A crucial tenet of the program is the idea that everyone has something to learn, and everyone has something to contribute. The program relies upon shared leadership, which is reflected in the way all instruction librarians collaboratively built a document to guide supervisor observations in a way that fosters continuous growth and improvement.  

• All instruction librarians participate in a Professional Learning Community (PLC), which relies on individual readings followed by large group conversations and activities. The focus is on three key areas: pedagogy and learning theory, reflection on the practice of teaching, and giving and receiving feedback in a meaningful way.
• The librarians are also placed into Collaborative Mentoring Groups (CMGs), which determines the peer observation partnerships, as well as provides a smaller group environment for deeper discussion, reflection on feedback, and two-way mentoring.
• The final component is the supervisor observation protocol, which uses an observation form designed to frame assessment within each librarian’s individual goals for growth and improvement, as well as acknowledge and document their unique strengths.